Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is native to North America and was once considered an important food and medicine for many native Americans. The Native American Indians used the fruit for food, but also used it as a preservative for dried meat. They would pound salt-dried meat with cranberries and melted fat, then shape and store in animal skins. The berry was so versatile that they were also used for treating wounds and dying fabrics. They even created the first cranberry sauce by sweetening cranberries with maple sap.

Cranberries were originally named "crane berries", by white settlers, because of the appearance of the plant's bud and flower. They look like the neck, head and bill of cranes that trampled through the berry bogs. In time, it changed from "craneberry" to "cranberry".

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One cup of cranberries has 14 mg of vitamin C, 50 IU of vitamin A, 71 mg of potassium, and only 12 grams of carbohydrates. It is helpful for low carb diets because of the acidity. Foods that contain acids help lower the glycemic value of food, which in turn, helps to control insulin.

Women have been drinking cranberry juice for years to help support urinary tract health.

Research has recently indicated that cranberries are an excellent source of antioxidants. Cranberry juice was given to animals and they showed an increase in the interior blood vessel diameter. This suggests that cranberry juice may have a similar effect on blood flow in humans. Proanthocyanidins, a group of flavonoids found in cranberries, have been shown to support healthy capillaries in recent double-blind research.

Nutritionists and many in the medical community believe that a diet high in fruits and vegetables can improve overall health. Recently, there have been and continue to be studies done on the effects of cranberries on cardiovascular health. Initial results show that drinking cranberry juice is a heart-healthy activity.

Article from Clayton South's Health Facts.

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